When we talk about the mental health epidemic in the workplace, it tends to get missed how badly this is impacting men. 

Many still face the expectations of traditional masculinity and may fear that admitting they need help could put into question their professional ability and risk their job security. 

A recent survey revealed 81.8% of male workers claimed their mental health affected their work, with 60.9% of men feeling they could not discuss their mental health with their manager. 

For Men’s Health Month, we’re focused on raising awareness about men’s mental health by providing resources to support more workplace conversations that give men opportunities to open up about their struggles. An important step towards helping them get the care and tools they need.

4 ways managers can help facilitate open dialogue in the workplace

1. Be open about your own challenges: Managers can lead by example and share  their own feelings, experiences, and struggles with the team. The biggest barrier stopping men from seeking help is their sense of isolation. By humanizing the workplace, it allows for genuine connections that make it easier to open up.
2. Regularly check-in with your team: Take time to routinely ask both individuals, and the team as a whole, how they feel about current workload demands and challenges. Avoid making every conversation about tasks and targets. Make space for people to be human, open and authentic. 
3. Foster psychological safety: Create a team environment where it is safe to fail, be accountable for a mistake and talk about emotions in the workplace.  For example, If your team or an individual experiences a significant setback, actively encourage them to share their feelings about what happened.
4. Empower with knowledge: Consider hosting a series of lunch ‘n’ learns to provide opportunities to develop a greater awareness of mental health and illness. Prompt open discussions and empathetic conversations with suggested tips and scripts for how to have a mental health conversation with the team.

Mental illness is a challenge, but not a weakness

Employers can play a significant role in helping to remove the current stigma barrier for men in the workplace. By creating an environment with the right culture, tools, and training, we can support men in  speaking up about their challenges and accessing care when they need it. 

Book a demo of Snapclarity’s virtual mental healthcare platform to see how it will transform your employees’ experience.